Olushola Ogunkelu
Building Belonging: How Olushola Ogunkelu Empowers Nigeria’s Future Developers
Olushola Ogunkelu did not just create her own path into technology - she paved the road so others could follow in her footsteps. Growing up in Nigeria, her early technical journey was defined by trial and error, navigating a sea of conflicting advice without clear roadmaps or dedicated mentors. “I often wished someone had created a path I could follow, someone who could remove barriers and provide opportunities to grow.” she recounts. “That experience shaped my mindset, and I decided to dedicate my life to creating for others what I needed for myself.”
Her path into open-source software was far from a straight line. When Olushola first applied to Outreachy, intense self-doubt almost stopped her before she began. The learning curve felt overwhelming, leading to long stretches of uncertainty where giving up seemed like the easiest option. “I convinced myself that giving up would be easier,” she recalls. “I avoided the project for days at a time... but because I did not know how to give up completely, I kept coming back.” Through relentless research and trial, she pushed past the barrier, completed the submission, and earned her internship - a pivotal turning point in Olushola’s journey. “Outreachy was not just an internship for me. It was the moment I realised I belonged in the hacker community, and that I could help others belong too.”
Through her internship, she gained the skills and confidence to push forward. This experience led her to mentor for the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) and to participate in her first hackathons through Major League Hacking (MLH). She also organized the 1000th intern celebration in Nigeria event for Outreachy - an incredible milestone celebrating open-source achievements locally. “Each of these experiences allows me to create opportunities, provide guidance, and help others navigate the paths I once had to discover on my own,” Olushola shares.
Recognizing the need for computing education designed around local realities, Olushola founded The Coding Clubhouse, an open science education initiative working to make foundational programming and computer science accessible to children and teachers in under-resourced communities in Nigeria. Through school programmes, teacher training, curricula, and community learning experiences, the initiative focuses not only on teaching coding, but also on building confidence, computational thinking, creativity, and practical skills that learners can carry forward. “Beyond teaching coding and computer science concepts, we equip students with practical skills to build livelihoods and make digital education accessible to all.” In its inaugural year alone, the organization reached over 100 students and empowered more than 20 teachers.
The impact of this work was on full display during a recent community program. Designed as an immersive space for young participants to explore technology, the event also welcomed parents to observe the sessions from the back of the room. After watching her child engage with hands-on coding challenges, one parent approached Olushola to share a perspective that captured the core of her vision: “I couldn't believe an old person like me can understand coding and how computers work, and I was just listening at the back. Now imagine my child, who was an active participant.” It was a powerful reminder that by paving a road for others, she is inspiring entire families to dream beyond their perceived limits.
By turning personal challenges into sustainable platforms for growth, she continues to ensure that the hacker community remains a place where everyone belongs. “This could only happen because of my exposure to the hacker community and technology.” reflects Olushola. "The hacker community showed me what a supportive, collaborative learning environment looks like and inspired me to recreate it locally.” That personal transformation became the blueprint for her community work, turning individual growth into collective empowerment. “It didn’t just change my life, but through me, it is changing the lives of other people. The hacker community is a gift that keeps giving, and through The Coding Clubhouse, I am passing that gift on to others.”
Quick Facts
Olushola Ogunkelu
Building Belonging: How Olushola Ogunkelu Empowers Nigeria’s Future Developers
Olushola Ogunkelu did not just create her own path into technology - she paved the road so others could follow in her footsteps. Growing up in Nigeria, her early technical journey was defined by trial and error, navigating a sea of conflicting advice without clear roadmaps or dedicated mentors. “I often wished someone had created a path I could follow, someone who could remove barriers and provide opportunities to grow.” she recounts. “That experience shaped my mindset, and I decided to dedicate my life to creating for others what I needed for myself.”
Her path into open-source software was far from a straight line. When Olushola first applied to Outreachy, intense self-doubt almost stopped her before she began. The learning curve felt overwhelming, leading to long stretches of uncertainty where giving up seemed like the easiest option. “I convinced myself that giving up would be easier,” she recalls. “I avoided the project for days at a time... but because I did not know how to give up completely, I kept coming back.” Through relentless research and trial, she pushed past the barrier, completed the submission, and earned her internship - a pivotal turning point in Olushola’s journey. “Outreachy was not just an internship for me. It was the moment I realised I belonged in the hacker community, and that I could help others belong too.”
Through her internship, she gained the skills and confidence to push forward. This experience led her to mentor for the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) and to participate in her first hackathons through Major League Hacking (MLH). She also organized the 1000th intern celebration in Nigeria event for Outreachy - an incredible milestone celebrating open-source achievements locally. “Each of these experiences allows me to create opportunities, provide guidance, and help others navigate the paths I once had to discover on my own,” Olushola shares.
Recognizing the need for computing education designed around local realities, Olushola founded The Coding Clubhouse, an open science education initiative working to make foundational programming and computer science accessible to children and teachers in under-resourced communities in Nigeria. Through school programmes, teacher training, curricula, and community learning experiences, the initiative focuses not only on teaching coding, but also on building confidence, computational thinking, creativity, and practical skills that learners can carry forward. “Beyond teaching coding and computer science concepts, we equip students with practical skills to build livelihoods and make digital education accessible to all.” In its inaugural year alone, the organization reached over 100 students and empowered more than 20 teachers.
The impact of this work was on full display during a recent community program. Designed as an immersive space for young participants to explore technology, the event also welcomed parents to observe the sessions from the back of the room. After watching her child engage with hands-on coding challenges, one parent approached Olushola to share a perspective that captured the core of her vision: “I couldn't believe an old person like me can understand coding and how computers work, and I was just listening at the back. Now imagine my child, who was an active participant.” It was a powerful reminder that by paving a road for others, she is inspiring entire families to dream beyond their perceived limits.
By turning personal challenges into sustainable platforms for growth, she continues to ensure that the hacker community remains a place where everyone belongs. “This could only happen because of my exposure to the hacker community and technology.” reflects Olushola. "The hacker community showed me what a supportive, collaborative learning environment looks like and inspired me to recreate it locally.” That personal transformation became the blueprint for her community work, turning individual growth into collective empowerment. “It didn’t just change my life, but through me, it is changing the lives of other people. The hacker community is a gift that keeps giving, and through The Coding Clubhouse, I am passing that gift on to others.”
